The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-10-22

"And you are going without ioreiVhe
meN'
'Forgive you, Mistress Thankful, said
the major, striding to the curtain, and
Selling n little hand that was obtrudcd
from its folds-"forgive you? rather can
you forgive me for the folly-the cruelty
of mistaking-of--of'- here the ma
jor hitherto famous for facile eompli'
nents, utterly broke down. But the
hand he held was no longer cold, but
warm and iutClligCnt and in default OF
coherent speech he held fast by that rs the
thread Of his discourse, until Mistress
Thankful quietly Withdrew it, thanked
him for his forgiveness and retired deeper
behind the curtain.
When he had gone, she threw herself in
a chair and again gave way to Il passion
ate food Of tears In the last twenty-four
hours her pride had been utterly humbled
the independent spirit Of this sclf-willed
little beauty had met for the first time
with defeat When she had got over her
womanly shock mt the news Of the sham
barOn's death she had, fear only sell
fish regret Mt his taking of, believing that
if living he would in some way show the
wOrld---whiCh Just then consisted OF the
headquarters and Maj. Van Xandt-tta t
he had really made love 10 her, and possibly
did honorably love her still, and might yet
give her an opportunity to reject him, And
now he was dead, and she was held up to
the world as the cOnceited plnything Of a
fine gcntleman's masquerading sport,
That her fathers cupidity and ambition
made him sanction the imposturc, in her
bitterness, she never doubted. mol Lover,
friend, father-all had been false to her,
and the only kindness she had received was
from the men she had wantonly insulted.
Poor little Blossom, indeed a most pre-
mature Blossom; | fear most unthankful
Blossom, sitting there shivering in the first
chill wind Of adversely, rocking backward
and forward, with the skirt Of her dimity
short gown over her shoulders, and her
little buckled shoes and clocked stockings
pathetically crossed before her
But healthy youth is reactive; and in an
hour or two Thankful was down ut the
COW shed, with her arms around the neck
Of her favorite heifer, to whom she poured
out much OF her woes. and from whom she
won an intelligent sort Of soldering sym
pathy And then she sharply scolded
Caesar for nothing Mt all, and moment
after returned to the house with the air
and face of a deeply injured angel, who
had been disappointed in some celestial
idea of setting this world right, but was
still not above fOrgiyeness-a spectacle
that sunk Mai Van Zandt into the dark
depths Of remorse and eventually sent
him to smoke pipe Of Virginia with his
men in the roadside camp; seeing which,
Thankful went early to bed and cried her
self to sleep. And nature possibly fol-
lowed her example; for at sunset great
thaw set in, and by midnight the freed
rivers and brooks were gurgling melo-
diously, and tree and shrub and fence
were moist and dripping.
The red dawn ut last struggled through
the vaporous veil that hid the landscape.
Then occurred one Of those magical changes
peculiar to the climate yet perhaps pre-em-
inently notable during that historic winter
and spring BY ten O'Clock on that Sd
of May, 1850, u fervent June-like sun
had rent that vaporous veil, and poured
its direct rays upon the gaunt and hag-
gard profile Of the Jersey hills. The
chilled soil responded but feebly to that
kiss; perhaps a few Of the willows that
yellowed the river banks took on deeper
color. But the country folk were certain
that spring had come at last; and even the
correct and self-sustained Mai Van
Zandt came running in to announce to
Mistress Thankful that one of his men
had seen violet in the meadow. In an
other moment Mistress Thankful had
donned her cloak and pattens to view this
frstling of the laegard summer. 1t was
"a nj
should accompany her rs she tripped on;
and 50, without thought Of their past
they ran like very children
down the moist and rocky slope that led
to the quaggy meadow Such was the in
fluence Of the vernal season.
But the violets were hidden. Mistress
Thankful, regardless of the wet leaves
and her new gown, CROPPED with her fin
gers among the withered grasses. Maj
Van Zandt leaned against q bowlder and
watched her with admiring eyes.
you'll never find flowers that way"
she said at last, looking up to him impa-
tiently. go down on your knees like an
honest man. There are some things in
this world worth STOPPING for"
The major instantly dropped on his
knees beside her. But at that moment
Mistress Thankful found her poses, and
rose to her feet. "Stay where you are"
she said mschevously, as she stopped
down and placed flower in the lapel OF
his coat. THAT is to make amends for
my rudeness. Now get up"
But the major did not rise. He caught
the two little hands that had seemed to
fiutter like birds against his breast, and,
looking up into the laughing face above
him, said: "Dear Mistress Thankful, dare
remind you of your own words, that
there be some things worth STOPPING for?'
Think of my love, Mistress Thankful, rs
a flower-mayhap not rs gracious to you
as your violets, but us honest and-and-
and--as'---
"Ready to spring up in single night"
laughed Thankful "But no; get up,
majorl What would the fine ladies of
Morristown say of your kneeling at the
feet of country girl-the play and sport
Of every fine gentleman? What If Mistress
Bolton should see her own cavalier, the
modish Maj, Van Zandt protfering his
affections to the disgraced sweetheat of n
perjured traitor? Leave go my hand,
pray you major, if you respect'-
She was Free yet she faltered n moment
beside him, with tears quiveI ing on her
long brown lashes. Then she said tremu-
lousy, "Rise up, major Let us think no
more OF this. pray you forgive me, if l
have again been rude"
The major struggled to rise to his felt,